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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26717716">A Rival By Any Other Name</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdButton/pseuds/NerdButton'>NerdButton</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship - Raydia, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Good Dad Viren who actually cares about his kids, Hijinks &amp; Shenanigans, Rivalry, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:48:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,294</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26717716</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdButton/pseuds/NerdButton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"That's exactly it, Callum!" Spinning on her heel away from the noticeboard, Rayla turns to face him. His brows are furrowed as he looks at her, making zero effort to reign in his scrutiny of her outburst. "I'll have to see more of Claudia... in class... where everyone else is..."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"And..? You're literally dating."</i>
</p><p><i>"I'm not supposed to be!"</i> </p><p> </p><p>Rivals by day, girlfriends by night. </p><p>Raydia College AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Claudia/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Rival By Any Other Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdGoldLazarus/gifts">ColdGoldLazarus</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>"Just a oneshot", I said. "A thousand words, maybe two," I said. Here we are, two weeks later and over 6k words. I can never just keep it simple.</p><p>Okay, so the prompt for this was "College Raydia AU, maybe in rival clubs or something, but with an established relationship and lots of fluff" which on first glance I thought seemed simple enough until I started working on it. I liked the rival part, but trying to tie that together with an already established relationship AND have it be fluffy was a surpringly fun challenge. And, quite frankly, I'm not the fluffiest writer, so this has ended up only "mostly fluffy" with a lot of shenanigans. I ran through a bunch of different ideas for putting this together and I've settled on a kind of "slice-of-life" vibe focusing on a bunch of little moments. They come together with an over-arching plot, but it's all light-hearted and that's not really the main focus. Just gals being pals, students being students.</p><p>Requested by @coldgoldlazarus on Tumblr. </p><p>You can find me there @shallitickleyournerdbutton!</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You have <em> got</em> to be kidding me... Tell me you're kidding!"</p><p> </p><p>"I really don't see what the big deal is, Rayla. They need somewhere to work until the lab is repaired, and you'll get to see more of Claudia?"</p><p> </p><p>"That's exactly it, Callum!" Spinning on her heel away from the noticeboard, Rayla turns to face him. His brows are furrowed as he looks at her, making zero effort to reign in his scrutiny of her outburst. "I'll have to see more of Claudia... in class... where everyone else is..."</p><p> </p><p>"And..? You're literally dating."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm not supposed to be!"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh. Right. That stupid rivalry... Is it <em>really</em> that serious? Don't your class already, like, <em>know</em>?" His eyeroll drips into his words, lacing them with irritation and amusement in equal bouts as he continues to give his friend the stink eye.</p><p> </p><p>"So not the point! There's a difference between them knowing, and actually seeing! I have a reputation to think about."</p><p> </p><p>"Are you sure about that?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. Shut up."</p><p> </p><p>Callum's heavy, sweaty hand clamps down onto her bare shoulder, warm and uncomfortable in the summer heat, and she tries to shake it off. It doesn't budge, and she turns to be met by his smug smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Looks like you'll just have to play nice with your girlfriend."</p><p> </p><p>With a last tug away, his hand falls from her shoulder - but not before leaving her skin sweaty too, in an intentional act of irritation. He continues to grin as she swipes a hand down the violated body part, scowling as they begin the walk towards their morning classes.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, first - gross. Second, I can play nice just fine. It's her that's the problem. I know she's gonna embarrass me, somehow."</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe. Be a good friend and get someone to film it for me, I could use the entertainment."</p><p> </p><p>Rayla shoves him into some bushes, and doesn't tell him about the leaves in his hair.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Viren is mid-lecture on some topic long-tuned out when the chittering begins, spreading out from somewhere behind her and engulfing the class in seconds. With a glance to Kazi by her side, gold eyes reflecting confusion, their attentions are drawn to the movement by the heavy doors to the lecture hall, revealing the source of disruption - Sarai, grinning bright in a way too similar to Callum's own, leaning cheery in the open doorway.</p><p> </p><p>And she's not alone, Rayla having to choke down surprise at the familiar figure by her side; Claudia scans over the class, a twinkle in her eye as she spots Rayla amongst the sea of bodies before her attention returns to the woman by her side.</p><p> </p><p>The commotion halts Viren's next line, his attention mimicking the path of his students' own as he turns confusedly towards the entrance to his class, only to chuckle at the sight of his old friend lounging against the wood like it belongs to her. He beckons her closer with a wave of his hand, lines crinkled around his eyes as he attempts to keep rising mirth from showing.</p><p> </p><p>At least, he does for the moment, loudly addressing the class as Sarai moves to stand by his side, leaving Claudia by the door on her own. Only stepping far enough into the class to be considered in the room, her green eyes focus on Rayla as she attempts to ignore being stared at. She winks with a grin when Rayla finally breaks, smile growing ever so slightly wider at receiving an eyeroll - an eyeroll far too affectionate to be disapproving, but that doesn't mean she couldn't try.</p><p> </p><p>Something thumps hard enough against her ribs to make her grunt, arm lifting to block Nyx's second attempt at elbowing her purely on instinct. All it takes for her to focus back on Viren's announcement, is some wiggled eyebrows and kissy faces.</p><p> </p><p>Mocking ones.</p><p> </p><p>Not so mocking as to be hurtful, but enough to annoy. If Claudia and Nyx weren't so friendly, it might be interpreted otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>But it does work, Rayla catching the end of her teacher's words as he winds down from his spiel - Callum had already warned her what was happening anyways, so she could afford to pay a little less attention.</p><p> </p><p>"--due to an... <em>unfortunate incident</em> in the chemistry labs, I am afraid use of the biology labs will have to be split until the repairs can be finished."</p><p> </p><p>At this, he pauses to allow the grumbles to pass, the students voicing their displeasure at having to share their toys. Smirking, he continues when they quieten down. "I understand that this is not ideal, especially with exams coming fast, but perhaps it will be a chance for us all to help each other improve and maybe even learn something new. How <em>not</em> to burn down your workspace, perhaps?"</p><p> </p><p>The last few words are directed at Sarai, Viren finally failing at holding back his amusement as his eyes crinkle handsomely around the edges, smirk giving way to genuine fondness.</p><p> </p><p>Sarai responds just as quick, coiled to meet his verbal jabs eagerly even as she shrugs with faux-nonchalance.</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe you should experiment a little more, Viren. Your students might actually learn something not in their textbooks for a change."</p><p> </p><p>A few sniggers can be heard at the bickering professors, Claudia's amongst them and standing out easily against the rest. She doesn't notice Rayla glancing back over her way, eyes still focused on the 'adults' and their squabbling.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Honestly, Viren and Sarai argue like more of a married couple than Sarai and Harrow sometimes...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>When Rayla had first moved to Katolis and stayed with Callum's family, that summer after school all those years ago now, it had taken her some getting used to Viren and Sarai's relationship. She'd been too young to remember much about the adults from when she used to live here, only really being able to recall playing with Callum as kids, that she had to reacquaint herself with them again as an (almost) adult.</p><p> </p><p>Callum hadn't changed all that much since they were kids, thankfully. Still the same dorky, head-in-the-clouds Callum he'd been in all her memories - awkward crush on her included.</p><p> </p><p>A few months of living together had extinguished that quick enough, thank Spirits. He does still draw her a lot though, so that's nice - something about her "being an interesting muse".</p><p> </p><p>His tone as he'd said it could imply many things, but she chose to take it in compliment.</p><p> </p><p>For now.</p><p> </p><p>One more sketch of her asleep, with her hair wrapped around her horns and drool on her face, and that can change.</p><p> </p><p>At least Ezran loves her unconditionally, unlike his brother who enjoys drawing ugly pictures of her. It wasn't until Rayla was older that she finally met Callum's brother in person, on one of their stays in Katolis for her parents' work. Sarai had been pregnant with him when they moved away, and he was already five by the time they returned, so Rayla wasn't really sure how to feel about having someone else tagging along with her and Callum in the few days they got to see each other again, but he won her heart almost immediately.</p><p> </p><p>In fact, if anything, it was Callum playing catch-up; Ezran is a lot nicer and sweeter and they clicked with each other easily on that first meeting, while it took a few hours of awkwardness for her and Callum to fall back in-sync with each other.</p><p> </p><p>But hey, they were ten. They got over it fast and were back to exploring the woods behind Callum's house in no time.</p><p> </p><p>Like she'd never left.</p><p> </p><p>She'd told them about the field of adoraburrs she'd found by the Silvergrove, back home, that visit. Later, they'd both begged to be allowed to go with Rayla to her home to see them, and been told no.</p><p> </p><p>As kids, that refusal had felt like the most unfair thing in the world - "Rayla got to come here, why can't we go there?" - but now they understand why they couldn't just drop everything and go for a visit to Xadia that day.</p><p> </p><p>Rayla had promised she'd bring an adoraburr with her the next time she visited, to show them instead. That was over ten years ago. She still hasn't brought them one.</p><p> </p><p>Promises are easier, when you're ten.</p><p> </p><p>"If destruction of property is something I wish to teach my students, I will be sure to request your assistance."</p><p> </p><p>Viren's voice shatters her thoughts of the past, sprinkling down onto the graffiti on her desk and garnishing the crude sketches there for a second until she rights her focus to where it is supposed to be.</p><p> </p><p>Pausing just long enough for Sarai to make a face at him, Viren continues talking without missing a beat.</p><p> </p><p>"Until then, I have a class to teach. If you and my traitor of a daughter would kindly remove yourselves, that would be splendid."</p><p> </p><p>With a last roll of her eyes and a shove to Viren's shoulder, Sarai takes her leave, hand snapping up for a quick, little wave to Rayla just before she vanishes out the doors. Claudia follows at her heels, the slightest skip in her step only just noticeable as she slinks off after her mentor, blowing a kiss Rayla's way as she does.</p><p> </p><p>In front of everyone.</p><p> </p><p>No less than three other students mimic the gesture, blowing kisses Rayla's way in the same overly-lovey way as the other girl just had - Nyx being one of them.</p><p> </p><p>She gets an elbow to her ribs for her trouble.</p><p> </p><p><em>"Payback is a bitch, Nyx,"</em> she thinks, as the skywing elf wheezes out a laugh at having her tactics used against her, just as Rayla's phone vibrates in her pocket.</p><p> </p><p>Fishing it out reveals a text from Claudia, a little witch emoji next to her name, at the top of a screen that isn't as crack-free as Rayla wants it to be - launched from her pocket during a drunken backflip off a roof, done on a dare. Though, as far as her mother knows, she simply dropped it.</p><p> </p><p>What Tia doesn't know, won't kill her.</p><p> </p><p>It was Soren's fault, anyways. He didn't believe that she could do it.</p><p> </p><p>Rayla would call him a fool. Or, she <em>would</em>, if she weren't the one left hunting through bushes for her phone that night.</p><p> </p><p>That had been the first night her and Claudia really got to speak to each other without the boys hanging around, the other girl the only one bothering to help her search for her missing phone. No fault of Callum's - he was preoccupied with trying to keep Soren off the roof as the blonde insisted he'd be able to copy the flip, a sentiment resolutely rejected by everyone else present that night.</p><p> </p><p>Finding her phone using the light from Claudia's took so much longer than it really should have, and only afterwards did they realise they could have just <em>phoned</em> Rayla's to find it instead, but in the end it had been more than worth it. And not only because it had ultimately been Claudia who found her phone, holding it away from Rayla until she was offered a reward. Neither of them are sure how exactly it happened, but they ended up staying out in the garden together as Rayla attempted to teach Claudia how to do a backflip herself, the human girl admitting she'd always wanted to be able to do something like that.</p><p> </p><p>It didn't work. But she did try, and Rayla had so much fun that she didn't even notice that Claudia still had her phone until the next day when she showed up at her door with it.</p><p> </p><p>Later that night, flicking through her pictures from the night before, one of them catches her eye - a selfie of Claudia, clearly taken herself using Rayla's phone, holding up a little sign, a single word written in spiky handwriting.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Dinner?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And her phone number underneath.</p><p> </p><p>Rayla already had her number saved in her phone, but Claudia didn't need to know that.</p><p> </p><p>The selfie of her with the sign remains as her contact picture in Rayla's phone, as it still brings up the same happy feeling now as it did when she first saw it all those years ago.</p><p> </p><p>She taps on the text to open it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "It'll be fun getting to work together! I can't wait. &lt;3 Love you!"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Turning so Nyx can't peek over her shoulder, Rayla types out a quick reply.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Rayla: "It will be fun. Love you too."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She can hide her phone, but she can't hide her smile.</p><p> </p><p>She doesn't really want to.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It's going to be a long few weeks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Callum, Soren, and their friend Marcos are lounging out on the grass when she leaves the campus a couple hours later, sketchbooks and poetry scattered forgotten on the ground as they lay on their backs - loudly - chatting. Rayla just dodges Soren's playful attempt to trip her as she steps over him to plop herself down next to Callum, lifting his newest sketchbook into her lap and flicking through it. Her only actual greeting comes from Marcos, Callum choosing instead to scatter a few strands of grass onto her legs as a hello as he ponders how great a mage he could be.</p><p> </p><p>"--listen, I could totally magic myself some wings if I tried. It's about having the heart for it. And I've got a great heart."</p><p> </p><p>Soren scoffs loudly, rolling to look at Callum. He's still wearing his hoody even in the summer heat, and it makes Rayla wonder how he isn't melting. The weather back in Xadia is milder than it is in Katolis - at least, the part she's from is. Fleeting homesickness presses against her chest, only for a second, before being shook away.</p><p> </p><p>"Did your mom tell you that? How would you know how great a heart you have, lover boy?"</p><p> </p><p>"As a matter of fact, it was your mom who told me that. Years ago, but I'm still counting it."</p><p> </p><p>Stopping on a page, Rayla traces lightly over Callum's lines capturing a moment in time she hadn't thought about in a long while - Soren and Claudia caught up in an argument about something. Something stupid no doubt, the exact topic forgotten to time, but their faces are captured perfectly as they bicker. It's rare that the siblings look like each other, but eternalised in charcoal are their matching scowls, on the page under her finger.</p><p> </p><p>It's rarer that Claudia doesn't have a smile on her face, but she still manages to look beautiful even when she doesn't, and it draws out one on Rayla's face as she goes back to flicking through the pages. She's only half listening as Marcos joins in to the discussion going on next to her.</p><p> </p><p>"Lissa does have good judgement. She likes me, after all."</p><p> </p><p>Callum hums in agreement, averting his eyes when Soren leans over for a kiss from Marcos to turn and focus on Rayla instead.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, did they break the bad news yet?"</p><p> </p><p>He doesn't need to elaborate, his overly-dramatic tone is enough to specify what he's referring to. Glancing up from another sketch, this one of Sarai and Ezran picking flowers together, Rayla meets his eyes. The same skeptical expression he had from their conversation that morning is on his face again.</p><p> </p><p>It's super annoying.</p><p> </p><p>"Yea, Sarai stopped in to class to tell us we'd have to share for a while. Claudia was with her."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh? And how was that?"</p><p> </p><p>"Fine. She blew me a kiss."</p><p> </p><p>"Did you blow her one back?"</p><p> </p><p>Callum laughs when she answers with narrowed eyes and a shake of her head. Its not that she doesn't want to show Claudia affection, it's just that they've been participating in the rivalry between their degree programs for years and Rayla has a reputation to maintain.</p><p> </p><p>Claudia, on the other hand, is playing right into her reputation - she never misses a chance to tease Rayla and fluster her. It's a part of their game now, and they have supporters on either side.</p><p> </p><p>And damn it, this is their last year so she's not going down easily.</p><p> </p><p>This last obstacle included.</p><p> </p><p>If Claudia wants to make herself the obstacle, then so be it.</p><p> </p><p>Admittedly, it does make things more difficult for Rayla than she wants to concede but she's no quitter. And, she has a trump card...</p><p> </p><p>Viren is on her side. The day he found out she was studying biology, she gained an immediate ally. As prone to melodrama as his children, the professor had made no shortage of exaggerating her betrayal, her deception and double-dealing and treachery, on the day Claudia informed him she would be studying chemistry under his infamous workplace rival.</p><p> </p><p>Sarai.</p><p> </p><p>Viren is always nearby, armed with a scold or an embarrassing baby story, to thwart Claudia when she gets bold.</p><p> </p><p>An agreement that, with much misfortune for Rayla, goes both ways. Sarai has a fair few embarrassing stories of her own about Rayla that she hasn't been shy to pull out in the past, either. All in all, a tentative equilibrium is kept, with each side keeping the other in check.</p><p> </p><p>Now though? All bets are off.</p><p> </p><p>They're all going to have to share space together and, as patient a man as Harrow is, he likely won't be too amused at any more labs being destroyed - even if it is his wife who is to blame.</p><p> </p><p>Callum eventually pulls himself from his spot on the grass, coaxing Rayla up alongside him with a reminder that they agreed to pick up Ezran from school.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Callum's car pulls to a stop outside their apartment building, staggeredly parking in a small space Rayla had teased would be too difficult for him. He's never one to back down from a challenge, and with only a couple near misses with the parked cars on either side, manages to squeeze into the available spot. They both get out, Callum shoving his door closed with a huff and just slightly too much force.</p><p> </p><p>"The parking here sucks, I swear there's never this many cars until I need a space."</p><p> </p><p>Buzzing in her pocket distracts Rayla as she pulls her phone out her pocket, Callum's grumbling fading to the background as she opens another text from Claudia.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "Can I stay at yours tonight? Missed you."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>There's a little kissing emoji at the end, not unlike the kiss she'd blown to Rayla earlier, and the sense that it's deliberate is creeping but not overt. Shaking her head, she types a reply.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Rayla: "Of course. Callum's here too, though."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She hits send, beginning to place her phone away when it vibrates once again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "I know, I'm already here. Look to your left."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Head whipping up, Rayla does as she's told and scans down the street to her left just to be treated to the view of Claudia, leaning on the hood of her car a few vehicles down. She lifts a hand to wave hello, only barely muffling her amusement as Rayla automatically returns the gesture before she has the time to register what she's doing.</p><p> </p><p>Following her stare, Callum also waves a hello as Claudia comes to stand by their sides. A hand finds its way to one of Rayla's, twining their fingers together even as Claudia ignores Rayla's head shaking at her girlfriend's antics.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, Claudia. You staying with us tonight?" Callum asks, voice drowned slightly as he turns into the door, fumbling with his keys.</p><p> </p><p>"Apparently so."</p><p> </p><p>Rayla receives a playful shove to her shoulder from Claudia's own at the grumbled comment, the slightest hint of a smirk breaking through the elf's faux-disapproval at Claudia inviting herself over. She doesn't actually mind, obviously, but Spirits be damned if she's not going to pretend otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>"I was going to, but if I'm not wanted..." Claudia trails off, turning as if to leave but she's held in place as her hand is gripped tighter, Rayla not letting her get far.</p><p> </p><p>"You're always wanted."</p><p> </p><p>The response gets Claudia to drop her act, and she leans in for a kiss that Rayla is only to happy to return. Only distantly does she register Callum making a grossed out noise.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What are we, fucking 10? Grow up, Callum...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>By the time they pull away from one another, Callum has disappeared inside and Rayla has to fish out her own keys to let them in.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>At least he was nice enough to start dinner - the smell of garlic and sound of something frying reaching them as they swing open the door to the apartment.</p><p> </p><p>Claudia tosses her bag and jacket haphazardly over the arm of the couch, walking off into the kitchen without so much as a glance at where she has just fucking <em>abandoned</em> her stuff. Once she's out of eyeshot, Rayla grabs the mistreated items and places them in a more appropriate place.</p><p> </p><p>Like the closet.</p><p> </p><p>Her girlfriend's... quirks, have been the topic of a few arguments over the years, until eventually Rayla had just given up. Soren had once suggested they attempt to condition her to start putting things back where they go, but that idea had never really gotten off the ground - Claudia doesn't even really seem to notice she does it.</p><p> </p><p>As far as bad habits go, it could be worse.</p><p> </p><p>She could be dating Soren, with his half-finished food left lying about for <em>far</em> too long. Every time Rayla needs cheering up, she thinks of Marcos and his complaints of finding moldy food down the side of their couch.</p><p> </p><p>There's music playing in the kitchen when she makes her way to it, some human pop song she only sort of recognises. Enough that she could sing along with the chorus, but not the rest. It's being smothered by Claudia and Callum's singing anyways - some better than others.</p><p> </p><p>On hint: it's not Callum's.</p><p> </p><p>He tries, but he's a little tone deaf. Better off sticking to drawing, if Rayla were to be asked.</p><p> </p><p>Claudia, on the other hand, sings very well if a little... oddly sometimes. The words tend to change to suit her, but at least they sound good. Rayla could listen to her singing for an embarrassingly long time and not get bored, as she had discovered during that time Harrow had pulled his old karaoke out.</p><p> </p><p>Rayla had been far too sober to participate in all that, but she had enjoyed listening. Moonshadow elves aren't much the type to burst into song, not without heavy self-medicating first.</p><p> </p><p>The two humans flit about the kitchen, working together to make dinner - Claudia armed with a sauce-covered spoon, doubling as a microphone, that's dripping now and again and only <em>just</em> missing her shirt as she passes it between them during their duet.</p><p> </p><p>Rayla leans against the doorframe, content to watch.</p><p> </p><p>It's a reprieve that doesn't last long, Claudia dancing over and presenting the 'mic' to Rayla. She flicks it out just a little too hard, causing Rayla to flinch as (thankfully) cold sauce splatters on her chest, right on her cleavage where her top doesn't quite cover.</p><p> </p><p>A beat passes as they both stare at the mess, Claudia failing to muffle a giggle and grin at Rayla's shock. With a dropped gaze to the sauce on Rayla's chest, she wiggles her brows.</p><p> </p><p>"I can clean that off if you want."</p><p> </p><p>She receives a sauce-covered hand to the face for it, and immediately retaliates by flicking the spoon at Rayla again. They jostle Callum from his spot by the stove while they fight over control of the 'mic', until he turns to survey the chaos going on behind him. Brandishing a spoon of his own, he points it threateningly between them both.</p><p> </p><p>"The apron says 'kiss the chef', not <em>'kick the chef'</em>."</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Dinner turned out to be some pasta dish Callum's mum likes. It was good; and maybe Callum can't sing, but he can cook. Rayla is glad for it.</p><p> </p><p>It makes their little apartment feel like a home.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>They're cuddled up watching a movie when Rayla thinks to ask about the incident.</p><p> </p><p>"You know, I don't think either of you have actually told me what happened in the chem labs?"</p><p> </p><p>Rayla knew it was going to be good when both humans immediately start giggling. As much as she doesn't like being left out, she'll make an exception if it's worth it. Eventually, Claudia manages to give an answer.</p><p> </p><p>Sort of.</p><p> </p><p>"Honestly, we're not exactly sure. One minute Sarai was showing us how to make popcorn using a bunsen burner and a can, and the next? Flaming alcohol everywhere. It was a good thing she had the protective screen in place."</p><p> </p><p>"Yea, from how she told it to us when she got home, she was lucky to move away from it when she did."</p><p> </p><p>That's all good, and terrifying, but it doesn't explain one key aspect of Claudia's retelling...</p><p> </p><p>"Why was she showing you lot how to make popcorn anyways? Doesn't sound very <em>chemically</em> to me."</p><p> </p><p>Claudia just shrugs, words too laid-back for the topic at hand and reaching over for another handful of (microwaved) popcorn, speaking around the snack food.</p><p> </p><p>"Because it was Fun Friday."</p><p> </p><p>The statement is so matter-of-fact, that Rayla almost believes it to be an acceptable reason, before logic kicks in. Callum is also giving Claudia a weird look, holding back a laugh as he asks for clarification.</p><p> </p><p>"Fun Friday?"</p><p> </p><p>Oblivious to his teasing tone, Claudia answers. "Yea, we get to request things and Sarai will show us. Or sometimes she'll come up with her own hypothesis and we'll help her prove it. Kind of a fun way to end the week."</p><p> </p><p>Silence passes between them, as Callum and Rayla stare at the other girl before meeting each other's eyes incredulously.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm now less surprised you guys blew up your lab."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm only surprised it took this long."</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Monday rolls around, lazy and foggy in that way that clings to your clothes and drags your steps back, emphasised by the quiet campus. It's between classes when Rayla arrives, making her way to the labs to finish the tail end of one of the many assignments she'd been juggling recently.</p><p> </p><p>Marcos waves her way from his spot across the courtyard just as the old, grey building that marks the bio labs comes into view, and she returns the gesture before slinking inside. Reach the door to the fourth year lab she pushes it open and turns to lock it only to feel something bounce semi-painfully off the side of her head, Hendyr's gruff voice calling out from somewhere across the room.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't touch the handle, or you'll get a nasty surprise."</p><p> </p><p>Half-asleep as she is, Rayla's attention pans irritably from him, to the eraser that had been tossed at her skull, to finally landing on the door handle. Upon closer inspection, the brass knob has been scribed with a little rune that sparks almost imperceptibly unless sought out - a tiny, magical boobytrap, if you will.</p><p> </p><p>It doesn't take a genius to work out what it's there for.</p><p> </p><p>Hendyr is still watching her when she looks back over at his table, amusement on his face at her raised eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>"This for the chem students, I'm guessing?"</p><p> </p><p>"Aye." He just shrugs with a smirk, going back to labeling his petri-dishes. Rayla can't really identify the substances within, but at least one glows a concerning green colour.</p><p> </p><p>As outdated a practice as magic is, Rayla has to concede it's a fairly clever use of a lightning rune. None of the chem kids will be expecting it - or, the first few won't at least. The only question is who actually put it there? Hendyr doesn't seem like the type, a little too serious for something like that, and the couple of students she can can see up the back of the room by the fridge tend to keep their heads down. There's a list of possible suspects, and it proves enough to keep her entertained as she begins to set up her usual station - by the door, two rows back. Enough of a vantage point to be able to see the rest of the room, but not out of the way enough that Viren will think she's not participating.</p><p> </p><p>Just perfect.</p><p> </p><p>Bodies slowly begin to fill the room around her as she works, other students from the bio program passing down the warning about the door handle. By the time Nyx and Kazi appear at the other end of the table she's working on, a couple hours have passed with only a few shocked chemistry students - the few who were brave enough to come and use the lab.</p><p> </p><p>It's only after the fourth - or maybe fifth? - poor bastard gets zapped that a thought occurs to Rayla.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Do I warn Claudia? Or do I let her get electrocuted?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The idea of playing a prank on her girlfriend is definitely appealing, but on the other hand there is now a much bigger audience to any potential embarrassment she would face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>If it were me, she probably-- who am I kidding, she'd definitely not warn me, the fucker.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Despite that thought, she pulls her phone out and gives Claudia the warning she likely wouldn't get in return.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Rayla: "The handle to the lab has been electrified with magic, watch out."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Rayla makes sure to keep her traitorous behaviour away from the kinds of eyes that would tell on her for <em>fraternising</em>. Like Nyx, or Saleer. Her phone buzzes a silent response a few moments later with Claudia's cheery message.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "Aww you cutie, thank you! I'll bring you a reward~"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Flushing slightly at the thought of Claudia 'rewarding' her, Rayla hides her phone away before she's spotted.</p><p> </p><p>Twenty minutes later, the door opens again as Claudia enters, two coffees in her hands as she readjusts her grip on them and bumping the door shut with her hip. She brightens immediately at locating the object of her search, a bright smile on her face as she heads directly towards Rayla's table, oblivious to walking through the No Man's Land that has formed between both groups of students. One of the cups is placed on the table by Rayla's elbow, Claudia leaning down to place a quick kiss to one of Rayla's horns before she can be swatted away, strutting off further into the lab.</p><p> </p><p>Several suspicious looks are being sent their way when Rayla's eyes fall away from Claudia's direction, no doubt curious as to how Claudia - of all people - managed to not be shocked by the door. Rayla ignores them all.</p><p> </p><p>They can't prove anything.</p><p> </p><p>And besides, the fact that Claudia's hands were full could <em>totally</em> explain away her not being electrocuted.</p><p> </p><p>Yea. Totally.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>No one knows who did it, and no one will admit to it.</p><p> </p><p>All they know, is the following week when Saleer went into the fridge to collect his samples, his angry shriek could be heard halfway across campus. Each and every single one of the samples they had all been cultivating came out of the fridge a nice, bright, <em>luminous</em> blue colour. Including Rayla's own, easily ruining over a week's worth of work.</p><p> </p><p>The motivation was not as hard to determine as the culprit - retaliation for the zap-happy individual who hexed the door handle for the unknowing new arrivals to the lab the previous week, certainly.</p><p> </p><p>Sarai had tagged along in the lab for a couple days after that, to keep the peace between the sides as the biology students attempted to salvage and replace their ruined experiments.</p><p> </p><p>Viren had refused to allow himself to become involved.</p><p> </p><p>As she was about to give up trying to recreate the experiment she had been working on, Rayla receives a message from Claudia.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "Cupboard 13D."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Glancing around at the few stragglers still in the lab around her, she's satisfied that no one is watching her as she moves to the cupboard by her table, the one that's labelled '13D', curious about why Claudia would send her such a cryptic message.</p><p> </p><p>At the back of the cupboard, in a small ice cooler hidden behind a bunch of flasks, is her samples - neatly labelled by Rayla's writing and in their original colouring. Her first thought is that Claudia must have switched them out for her, and how much Rayla loves her in that moment.</p><p> </p><p>Her second thought, is that it holds some... implications regarding her girlfriend's late night activities.</p><p> </p><p>And honestly, she's not even surprised to learn of Claudia's involvement. Leaving the samples where they are for now for protection, she shuts the cupboard back over and types a reply to Claudia for.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Rayla: "Thank you! I really didn't want to have to re-do all that."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "A hand for a hand. ;) You're welcome! &lt;3"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Claudia has always liked using dyes, after all.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>And so began a war of attrition between both sides, each retaliation escalating on the one before. It's no wonder it eventually led to involving Viren and Sarai - doing their best to pacify the students, while still taking potshots at one another at every opportunity, did remarkably little to keep tensions low.</p><p> </p><p>As could have been predicted.</p><p> </p><p>The pranks ranged from relatively low-brow, such as itching powder sprinkled on labcoats, to some real impressive shows of ingenuity - the one involving rigging the sinks to start backing up with pig's blood had probably been Rayla's favourite.</p><p> </p><p>They almost certainly traumatised at least a couple of the chemistry kids with that one, but who's keeping tabs?</p><p> </p><p>Well, actually... Harrow is, under the official stance that as principal, he will <em>not</em> be attributing any more funds to either program for any further destruction or issues caused on campus, for at least the remainder of the academic year. So on that front, they did have to reign it in a little. Or risk being stuck with a blood-soaked lab.</p><p> </p><p>The final prank of the year was a simpler affair in the end, but no less entertaining due to the involved parties. Viren, unlike Sarai, had succeeded in playing the straight-man throughout the last couple weeks of excitement - refusing to involve himself in the rivalry and even outright ignoring complaints brought to him, in suiting with his stance of neutrality.</p><p> </p><p>It set him up perfectly to swoop in and win the proverbial trophy, with no one suspecting a thing, not even his own students.</p><p> </p><p>First, he placed his prop a week before - a gross, vandalised wax mannequin he liked to use for demonstration. It stood propped up against the tutor's table at the front of the lab. Where Sarai would move it each time she had to teach, loudly groaning about having to touch it. Once the seed was set, his students would naturally jump on the trojan horse and do the rest - making sure to move it back each time they went into the lab after one of her teaching periods, just so she would have to touch it.</p><p> </p><p>One day, Rayla and her class are sitting in their usual lecture hall, waiting for him to strut in with his head held high as he does. But this time he didn't, and it was made only weirder by the fact that his laptop was set up to the projector. Time passes and he remains missing and, just as people start to leave, the projector screen comes alive.</p><p> </p><p>On it lies a familiar sight - their own lab, filled with the chemistry students. The recording shows Sarai as she walks into the lab - late, of course - and tracks her silently as she takes place by the table. With a grainy look of disgust, her hands reach out to grip the mannequin's shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>And the mannequin grabs her back.</p><p> </p><p>They watch a silent shriek fall from her lips, scrambling away from the living mannequin that reaches up to peel away its mask and reveal their missing professor.</p><p> </p><p>When he grins up at his planted webcam in victory, his class bursts into triumphant chaos.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Viren joins them all for a drink afterwards, to celebrate their success. He came back to their class still wearing his homemade mannequin costume - dark, disgusting mottles on his face and arms and all - and announced drinks were on him.</p><p> </p><p>Later on, while fending off a tipsy and unnaturally chatty Kazi, Rayla has an unflattering need to gloat. It may be the alcohol, or it may be that she's just an ass, but she wants to rub it in to the one person she can, happy for the chance to tease Claudia back. Phone in hand, she types out a clumsy message.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Rayla: "How does it feel to lose to your dad? :p"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She finishes off her drink as a reply beeps onto her phone screen, reminding her of just what an evil genius her girlfriend actually is.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Claudia: "Who do you think did his makeup? ;)"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>No one will admit it, but it's a sad day when the repairs are finished - the few months of pranks and tormenting were more fun than had been expected. And even working together had proven to not be entirely awful.</p><p> </p><p>That day when they receive news from the university that the chemistry students could return to their old building is a bittersweet one, and most drag their heels on the way to Viren's class. The room is quiet as he walks in, setting up his laptop and preparing to start his prepped spiel for the next two hours.</p><p> </p><p>Just as Viren opens his mouth to start his lecture for the day, Rayla raises a hand. Visible confusion on his face, he nods for her to speak.</p><p> </p><p>"Can we do Fun Fridays?"</p><p> </p><p>With deep disappointment, and an even deeper sigh, he points a single finger to the door.</p><p> </p><p>"Get out of my class."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Notes for this story:<br/>The uni kids are all about 20-22, and Ez and his pals are in their last years of school.</p><p>I figured Claudia would be a likely culprit for the dyeing prank, considering she's one of the few characters in the show we've seen with dyed hair - and I like to think she dyes Soren's too. Plus, it's funnier if she did it. </p><p>Since I'm Scottish, my "college AU" is significantly less Americanised and based around shit that went on when I was at uni. Students, especially in later years, often have a pretty informal relationship with their lecturers - going to the pub with a lecturer is pretty common here. The rivalry idea between degree programs actually comes from the experience I had with the computing engineering and mechanical engineering programs that went on when I was there. They used to rib and prank each other constantly over an argument about what "real engineering is". I changed the exact programs I used here to science ones as they fit a bit better with the characters. </p><p>I like the idea of Claudia being a double-agent in the end, I think it fits well with her role in the actual show - and for my still existing hopes for her to eventually join the good guys. T.T</p><p>There are some little bits of raydium in this one too for the small handful out there who like that, since I quite like the three of them together as you can probably tell from one of my other fics. ^.^' </p><p>As always, comment and kudos below and let me know what you think!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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